Aylett Irving

Aylett Griffin Irving was born to Martha Lapsley Griffin and Given E. Griffin, in Savannah, Georgia, on March 26, 1921. Her parents settled in Asheville, North Carolina, when she was five years old, having lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Atlanta, Georgia, previously. She went to local schools and Biltmore College (now UNC-Asheville) in Asheville. Then she attended Women's College (now UNC- Greensboro). In 1943, Aylett enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) during World War II. During her service, she met Lt. Clark O. Irving (U.S. Army) on a troop ship going to the Southwest Pacific Theater. She served as a Classification Specialist and Personnel NCO in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines. After the war, Clark and Aylett married in Gastonia, North Carolina at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, on March 16, 1946. As an Army wife (Clark served in the regular Army for many years until he retired), she followed him to Germany, Japan, Alaska and many other posts in the United States. While stationed in Germany, she was able to visit England, France and other European countries. Clark and Aylett were presented with their daughter, Kathleen Aylett, in 1947, and four other adopted children in Germany, Richard Hobart “Trooper”, Elizabeth Margaret, Matthew Clark and John Worrell. When her husband, Colonel Clark Irving, retired from active duty in the U.S. Army, they moved to Wyoming and then to Absarokee, Montana. Aylett painted oils, starting as a young woman in her 20s and continued as she lived in Montana. She studied art in various college courses and several art workshops. Aylett was one of the first members of Absarokee Fine Arts (AFA). Her husband, Clark, died in 2005 and she remained in Absarokee until she joined him in death on October 4, 2012. Aylett survived four of her children, Kathleen, Elizabeth, Matthew and John. She is survived by her son, Richard “Trooper”, her daughter-in-law, Barbara, and her grandchildren, Joshua, Chad and Natalie Irving. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Scott and Alex Irving, and her brothers, William Griffin and wife, Jeanne, of Brevard, North Carolina, and Richard Griffin and wife, Alice, of Asheville, North Carolina, and their families. Service: A memorial service for Aylett will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Absarokee, Montana, on Saturday, November 3, 2012, 11 a.m. Aylett will be laid to rest along side her husband, Clark, and their daughter, Kathleen, at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.